By Brian Rogers |
July 2, 2014
| Updated: July 2, 2014 4:00pm

A Houston firefighter has been relieved of duty - with pay - and transferred to an administrative position while the department investigates allegations of an offensive Facebook post about a drowning victim over the weekend.

Kerry Williams, 35, is accused of posting that he was looking for a "drunk Mexican" while searching for a 47-year-old man who drowned in Lake Houston on Friday.

"When I saw it, I was devastated," said Gracie Gonzalez, the victim's daughter. "It makes the whole department look bad."

Victor Gonzalez slipped under the surface after jumping in the water while boating with a friend Friday evening. Houston firefighters and police responded and searched for him for hours. His body was found Saturday about 3:30 p.m.

Williams, an emergency medical technician, is accused of posting at 1:37 a.m. Saturday on his Facebook page: "So 45 mins after afore mentioned 'drunk Mexican' jumped from his boat we go searching. An hour later HPD dive team and helicopter show up. We are done with our search no body recover and no 'drunk Mexican' "

Williams has worked for HFD since 2003.

Gracie Gonzalez said her family is outraged that Williams will continue to be paid while the investigation continues.

"He made a racial slur," she said. "And now he gets a mini-vacation while being investigated? What more investigation do they need to do?"

She said she appreciated the work by the rest of the first responders, but that Williams' alleged comments were wrong and the department's response has been tepid.

"There's no telling how many other people he's done this to," she said. "I feel like (the response) is a slap in the face."

Fire department officials on Wednesday said Williams had been relieved of duty.

They also released a statement reading: "It would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation, except to say that we take violations of this nature very seriously. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the victim. Comments like these are not a reflection of the nearly 4000 men and women of the HFD who perform their jobs everyday with courage and compassion."